Court to rule on extradition
A London court is expected to decide in the coming weeks whether to approve the extradition of a Greek former judge, Antonia Ilia, amid concerns that conditions at Greek prisons fall short of European standards. Ilia, found guilty by a Greek court of being part of a trial-fixing ring, was sentenced to almost seven years in prison in absentia. She was arrested in Brighton, southern England, in 2011. The defendant did not appear in the London court on Friday because of an eye infection, her lawyer told judges. Meanwhile, a prosecutor, acting on behalf of the Greek Ministry of Justice told the court that if extradited, Ilia would be held at the new women’s wing at Korydallos Prison, south of Athens, a facility that complies with international regulations. However, two Greek experts who testified via teleconference argued that jurisdiction for prisoners’ placement lies with the prison council and not the ministry.
Uni attack.
Police in Thessaloniki were investigating over the weekend a shooting which allegedly left one person injured on the premises of the Aristotle University in the northern port city late on Friday. Witnesses told police that they saw a scuffle break out between a group of people and subsequently heard shots being fired. In a related development, New Democracy party secretary Andreas Papamimikos presented a proposal for the development of a university police force to a group of Thessaloniki university and technical college (TEI) rectors on Saturday.
Bag-snatcher.
A 49-year-old woman was arrested in Thessaloniki on Saturday after she attempted to snatch a bag from a company employee in the city center while posing as a police officer. According to reports, the suspect walked into a store and asked the victim to produce an ID as part of an identity check. When asked to present some kind of identification to prove her status as an officer, the suspect presented another document before snatching the victim’s bag. She was eventually detained by policemen patrolling the area, after initially resisting arrest and hitting one of the officers.
Officers suspended.
Two police officers, aged 39 and 43, were suspended over the weekend after allegedly asking two of their colleagues to refrain from filing reports against two prostitutes, both foreign nationals, who were arrested following a police operation in central Athens. According to the police’s case file, the two suspects were also part of the operation, known as Thiseas, targeting illicit trade, drugs as well as undocumented immigrants in downtown Athens.